{"id":4791,"date":"2026-06-09T13:44:47","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T13:44:47","guid":{"rendered":"\/news\/"},"modified":"2026-06-09T15:47:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T15:47:57","slug":"introducing-our-catalyst-2026-finalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/news\/introducing-our-catalyst-2026-finalists","title":{"rendered":"Introducing our Catalyst 2026 Finalists"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[15,14],"class_list":["post-4791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","tag-catalyst","tag-social-entrepreneurship"],"acf":{"header":{"copy":"","hero_image":false,"hero_image_treatment":"cover","video":false,"inversed":false,"members_only":false},"premium_image":false,"author":{"team_member":{"ID":324,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2019-01-07 20:48:18","post_date_gmt":"2019-01-07 20:48:18","post_content":"","post_title":"Dori Kreiger","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"dori-kreiger","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-03-25 17:18:31","post_modified_gmt":"2019-03-25 17:18:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"\/about-ctia\/the-ctia-team\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"team_member","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},"name":"","title":"","image":false,"has_second_author":false,"second_author":false,"second_author_name":"","second_author_title":"","second_author_image":false},"caption":"","youtube_id":"","image":false,"components":[{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"

Today, CTIA Wireless Foundation announced our Catalyst<\/a> 2026 Finalists, a group of six social entrepreneurs using wireless to address pressing challenges in American communities. This year\u2019s finalists are harnessing the power of mobile-first solutions to make an impact across education, health and wellness and workforce development.<\/p>\n

Now in its seventh year, Catalyst captures the entrepreneurial spirit of the wireless industry, accelerating solutions that are changing lives. This year we saw applications from across the United States using wireless in innovative and transformational ways.<\/p>\n

I am thrilled to have our Catalyst 2026 Finalists join our incredible group of Catalyst Alumni. Since 2019, Catalyst has awarded over $1 million to social entrepreneurs impacting over 30 million lives<\/a>. The bold innovators of our Catalyst 2026 Finalists will only grow that impact. From California to New York, and everywhere in-between, our finalists are using wireless technology for good to provide workforce development, enhance literacy skills, put health care the palm of our hands, and strengthen financial know-how.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s meet our Catalyst 2026 Finalists:<\/p>\n","show_glossary":false,"glossary":null,"show_infographic":false,"infographic":null,"show_document":false,"document":null,"show_video":false,"video_caption":"","video_youtube_id":"","video_image":false,"show_image":false,"sidebar_image":false,"sidebar_image_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"heading","heading":"Cope Notes","include_in_navbar":false,"show_divider":true,"show_number":false,"background":"None","background_image":false,"background_video":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"

\"\"Cope Notes<\/a> sends daily SMS text-message prompts and updates to improve youth and adult mental health. Users receive randomly timed text messages throughout the day designed to proactively interrupt negative thought patterns. Messages include psychology facts, journaling prompts and exercises that are proven to reduce stress, anxiety and depression.<\/p>\n

Johnny Crowder, founder of Cope Notes, experienced abuse and mental illness throughout his upbringing in a low-income household surrounded by drugs and alcohol. After starting treatment and earning his college degree in psychology, he became passionate about making health education, positive psychology and peer support easily accessible.<\/p>\n","show_glossary":false,"glossary":null,"show_infographic":false,"infographic":null,"show_document":false,"document":null,"show_video":false,"video_caption":"","video_youtube_id":"","video_image":false,"show_image":false,"sidebar_image":false,"sidebar_image_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"heading","heading":"Empower Work","include_in_navbar":false,"show_divider":true,"show_number":false,"background":"None","background_image":false,"background_video":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"

\"\"Empower Work<\/a> provides peer counseling via SMS and RCS messaging to support vulnerable and low-income workers struggling in the workplace. Through text, workers can access a trained peer counselor for coaching related to navigating challenges such as unemployment or a toxic work environment. This resource improves economic security and mental health, keeping people on paths of opportunity.<\/p>\n

Jaime-Alexis Fowler, founder of Empower Work, experienced a gut-punch moment early in her career that left her wondering how workplace support could be made more accessible to people who need it.<\/p>\n","show_glossary":false,"glossary":null,"show_infographic":false,"infographic":null,"show_document":false,"document":null,"show_video":false,"video_caption":"","video_youtube_id":"","video_image":false,"show_image":false,"sidebar_image":false,"sidebar_image_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"heading","heading":"FreeWorld","include_in_navbar":false,"show_divider":true,"show_number":false,"background":"None","background_image":false,"background_video":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"

\"\"FreeWorld<\/a> is an app that trains and places people with criminal records into living-wage trucking careers, leading to long-term stability. Through the FreeWorld app, returning citizens use their smartphones to recover identification documents, prepare for Commercial Driver\u2019s License exams, access training funds, connect to vetted employers, and receive real-time coaching. Most participants complete their training within two months, and FreeWorld partners with organizations of all sizes\u2014from Walmart and Amazon to small local trucking businesses\u2014to create pipelines to stable employment.<\/p>\n

At 15 years old, FreeWorld founder Jason Wang was sentenced to 12 years in a Texas maximum-security prison. After earning two master\u2019s degrees and receiving early release, he faced constant rejection in the job market due to his record. He tapped into the power of wireless technology to create FreeWorld.<\/p>\n","show_glossary":false,"glossary":null,"show_infographic":false,"infographic":null,"show_document":false,"document":null,"show_video":false,"video_caption":"","video_youtube_id":"","video_image":false,"show_image":false,"sidebar_image":false,"sidebar_image_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"heading","heading":"LitZone","include_in_navbar":false,"show_divider":true,"show_number":true,"background":"None","background_image":false,"background_video":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"

\"\"LitZone<\/a> is an app that helps students develop reading skills through daily games and articles about their favorite sports teams. LitZone publishes articles about the NBA, NFL and MLB, including game recaps, breaking news, sports science, sports history and more. Each article is written at three different reading levels to ensure accessibility and is accompanied by a reading comprehension quiz aligned with education standards.<\/p>\n

James Kelly, founder of LitZone, was a middle school science teacher when he recognized that the literacy crisis was impacting students across all subjects. He combined his passion for sports with his experience as a teacher to develop LitZone.<\/p>\n","show_glossary":false,"glossary":null,"show_infographic":false,"infographic":null,"show_document":false,"document":null,"show_video":false,"video_caption":"","video_youtube_id":"","video_image":false,"show_image":false,"sidebar_image":false,"sidebar_image_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"heading","heading":"Oben Health ","include_in_navbar":false,"show_divider":true,"show_number":false,"background":"None","background_image":false,"background_video":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"

\"\"Oben Health<\/a> is an app that trains barbers and hairstylists to become certified Community Health Workers so they can screen their clients for hypertension, provide health coaching and connect them to ongoing care. Through their mobile app, barbers and stylists enter screening data and coordinate care in real time. From there, participants are connected to healthcare providers and supported through ongoing in-app coaching, promoting continuous engagement and accountability.<\/p>\n

Peter Njongwe founded Oben Health after his brother, Oben, passed away at the age of 36 from uncontrolled hypertension. Peter believes that if Oben had been screened and given a clear understanding of his health, he would still be alive today.<\/p>\n","show_glossary":false,"glossary":null,"show_infographic":false,"infographic":null,"show_document":false,"document":null,"show_video":false,"video_caption":"","video_youtube_id":"","video_image":false,"show_image":false,"sidebar_image":false,"sidebar_image_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"heading","heading":"Reducify","include_in_navbar":false,"show_divider":true,"show_number":false,"background":"None","background_image":false,"background_video":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"

\"\"Reducify<\/a> is an app that empowers recent college graduates to strategically reduce student loan debt by providing structured planning and guidance. Focusing on the 6-month grace period before repayment begins, Reducify provides graduates with structured repayment plans, behavioral accountability partnerships, and principal-first payoff strategies designed to build early momentum.<\/p>\n

Asha Farrah and Romy Pickron, co-founders of Reducify, graduated college with student loan debt and lacked a strategy for repaying their loans. By becoming accountability partners and setting a structured plan, they were able to pay off $130,000 in student loan debt in 2.5 years, outpacing the national 20\u201340-year repayment average.<\/p>\n","show_glossary":false,"glossary":null,"show_infographic":false,"infographic":null,"show_document":false,"document":null,"show_video":false,"video_caption":"","video_youtube_id":"","video_image":false,"show_image":false,"sidebar_image":false,"sidebar_image_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"divider"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"

The Catalyst 2026 Finalists will participate in an invitation-only application round. This year\u2019s winners will be selected from the six finalists in fall 2026, with the first-place winner receiving a $100,000 grant, and the second and third place entries receiving $50,000 and $25,000, respectively. Additional finalists will receive honorable mentions and $10,000 grants.<\/p>\n

Thank you to our Catalyst 2026 sponsors: T-Mobile, AT&T, Qualcomm, American Tower, Assurant, GCH Technologies Inc., Verizon, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP, Ellipsis Productions, ID.me, Intel, TNS and Wiley Rein LLP.<\/p>\n

I am delighted to introduce our Catalyst 2026 Finalists and look forward to seeing the work they accomplish using wireless for good!<\/p>\n","show_glossary":false,"glossary":null,"show_infographic":false,"infographic":null,"show_document":false,"document":null,"show_video":false,"video_caption":"","video_youtube_id":"","video_image":false,"show_image":false,"sidebar_image":false,"sidebar_image_caption":""}],"url":"\/","meta_title":"","meta_keywords":"","meta_description":"","footer":[{"acf_fc_layout":"learn_more","heading":"Catalyst","copy":"Competitive Grants Program for Social Entrepreneurs","button":"Learn More ","link":"https:\/\/www.wirelessfoundation.org\/catalyst"}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/api.wirelessfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/api.wirelessfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/api.wirelessfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/api.wirelessfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/api.wirelessfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4791"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/api.wirelessfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4824,"href":"https:\/\/api.wirelessfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4791\/revisions\/4824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/api.wirelessfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/api.wirelessfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/api.wirelessfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}